Deep Within
by CharmedReality
Summary: What happens in the cave, stays in the cave. Yozak x Gwendal.


**Deep Within**

Gwendal's lips were surprisingly soft against Yozak's.

The redhead had studied his superior's features countless times as he was receiving his orders. He had always imagined those lips would be firm and unrelenting.

It wasn't exactly that Yozak had imagined kissing him. That type of fantasy was reserved for a different prince entirely. It was just a habit he had picked up somewhere along the way to kill time and to even up the playing field. When someone would calling him a dirty half-breed he would wondering why anyone would kiss someone with such rough, chapped lips.

Well, maybe not even the playing field, but it passed the time.

But the real mystery wasn't the way Gwendal's mouth felt against his. It was how it got there in the first place.

**oooo**

"You said you knew where you were going."

"Did I? Hmm, must have been thinking of something else. Oh well, it can't be much further."

"We have no idea where we are. How can you possibly know it can't be much further?"

"Neh, come on, your Excellency, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. What else do you need to know?"

"I need to know where the castle is, Yozak."

"Mou, what's the hurry? The grass is green, the air is fresh, and the birds are singing. Don't you like birds, your Excellency? Aren't they cute?" The spy wore a confident smirk as he teased the prince as much as he dared.

Dark blue eyes narrowed dangerously, "I have responsibilities and duties to attend."

Yozak thought better of another laid back retort, and instead, took this opportunity to hike a bit further up the hill. He would need to know the lay of the land if he wanted to make up something appropriate to the situation. To his surprise, he found a genuine solution in the form of a rocky opening which had been obscured by overgrowth. "You see! I found it. And you doubted me."

Gwendal looked at Yozak and then looked at the mouth of the cave he was standing in front of and then back to Yozak. "I am beginning to doubt your sanity. That isn't the castle."

"No, but with a few throw pillows and a nice rug it could be home," the devil-may-care spy tossed back, before sobering at the sight of Gwendal's twitching brow and quickly added, "This is actually a short cut. The other end of this cavern is just a half mile from Shin Makoku."

The older man ran his eyes over the mound of dirt more appreciatively, "Are you certain of this?"

"Hey now, there is no reason to insult me. I am paid to know these kinds of things after all. We'll be home in time for you to read Greta a bedtime story and avoid Anissina's latest project."

The inventor's name seemed to startle the elder Mazoku as if he were afraid she might somehow be listening to their conversation and plotting. The plotting was always the worst part. Composing himself, he nodded in agreement with the plan. "Let's proceed then. I have no wish to waste any more time here."

"Great," Yozak replied, lighting torches for the two of them to carry into the dark tunnel, "I'll just pretend the thought of taking the long way home with me isn't so repulsive to you."

"Don't be ridiculous. I just don't like running late."

"Not to fear, I'll have you there in no time!"

**oooo**

But the passage of time was very real for both of them. Yozak did know exactly where they were, and it wasn't particularly close. But he figured if Gwendal believed it was near then there wouldn't be any more complaining for a while at least.

He was correct. They walked in relative silence for hours through the dark passages. Generally, Yozak filled silences with anecdotes of his various adventures and conquests, or peppered his travel companions with potentially invasive questions. But for some reason he had always taken a strange sort of comfort in his silences with Gwendal. Speaking wasn't necessary or expected.

Gwendal used his connection to the ground to widen the trail for easier traveling whenever necessary, except for a few times where Yozak still scrapped against the rocks. Presumably, on accident and not as a reminder that this was his fault.

As they walked, Gwendal attempted to burn a hole right through his subordinate with his glare. Sadly, the man seemed relatively intact. Finally, he broke the long-standing silence. "We should make camp in the next enlarged space which should be another few paces ahead."

Yozak nodded, recognizing Gwendal had accepted the deception for what it was. They could have pushed on and reached the castle before dawn, but he'd rather get some rest and arrive in time for breakfast. His stomach growled at the very thought, but he ignored it.

Reaching the space, Gwendal set his heavy bags down and stretched a little. "Light a fire."

"So we can be nice and warm when we die of smoke inhalation?"

Gwendal gave him a hard sideways glance as he lifted his arms above his head and part of the rocky ceiling was forced upward. It became a tunnel of it's own as dust fluttered down around the mazoku, sparkling in the flickering torchlight. It would have been pretty if it weren't for Gwendal's pained blinking to remove it from his eyes. A few moments later, Yozak could see stars at the end of their new exhaust vent. "Light the fire," Gwendal repeated.

"Yes, sir," the spy replied with a smile as he worked on the campfire. He had always found maryoku interesting. He wasn't the type of man to covet something he didn't have, especially things he had no way of getting, but as a boy, he had eagerly wished for the day he'd find out he could control fire without using outside resources. Or fly. Somehow, he always thought flying should have been one of the powers. Learning that it wasn't had taken some of the shine off the dream.

"I don't suppose you can pull a rabbit out of your hat next." He commented lightly as he looked fruitlessly for remaining food rations.

Conrad had once told him about a magic show he had attended in his time on Earth. It wasn't something the two of them spoke of often. It brought back too many memories. Conrad was still a different man when he thought back to Julia. And Yozak had tried to be an understanding friend when Conrad just disappeared one day, but a few years of waiting can punch holes through your understanding. A note would have been nice.

But for the moment, a snack would be better.

"I'm not wearing a hat."

"Never mind. It doesn't matter." Yozak unrolled his pack, making a softer surface than the uneven rock floor. He had slept on worse.

The ground shifted beneath him and his body tensed. He was sure Gwendal had set off a cave in with those powers of his, but then he realized the ground was smoothing itself out and softening slightly.

"That should be more comfortable. And I have a bag of dried, cured meat. It is not rabbit." Gwendal recovered the food and tossed it to the redhead.

"Your Excellency, I have to remember to travel with you more often."

"Bite your tongue."

Yozak laughed good-naturedly. If he had been with someone of lesser rank, he would have retaliated with, "Bite it for me," but contrary to popular opinion, he did know when to hold his tongue. "So, is this the part where we braid each other's hair and tell ghost stories?"

"This is the part where we sleep since you were incapable of leading us home at a respectable hour."

"Mou, it isn't like I have any super-fast ways of getting from one place to another. You should check with Anissina on that."

Gwendal grunted as he rolled out his sleeping pack.

"So, what is the story with you two?" Maybe he didn't _always_ know when to hold it.

The dark-haired man stopped what he was doing and stared at Yozak evenly. "What's the story with you and my younger brother?"

Some issues were best left not discussed. Although it was a shame he couldn't ask about Gunter next. Still, he should probably say something. "How did you know? I hope Heika isn't upset, but there is just something about a blond in uniform."

To Yozak's surprise, Gwendal actually laughed.

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that. Does it hurt much?"

"Good night, Yozak."

"Good night, your Excellency."

**oooo**

It had been a few hours when Yozak felt himself pulled toward consciousness. He was a heavy sleeper who had trained himself to be wary at his most vulnerable. But he wasn't sure if it was some sound Gwendal had made, or the crackling of their fire which was still burning steadily thanks to Anissina's fire-stick-kun, or the eerie way Gwendal was watching him.

"Your exc--?" His question was silenced by royal lips pressing firmly against his own.

It was late at night or early in the morning. Yozak had only just woken up, and his superior officer was kissing him with no warning or discernable reasoning. So, the spy did the only thing he could do.

**oooo**

They walked in a new kind of silence for a few hours. This silence wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was much safer than the alternative. It wasn't until they immerged from the other end of the lengthy cave that any word was uttered at all.

Clearing his throat, Gwendal spoke with his eyes staring straight ahead, "There are some types of metal underground that are said to have rather..._unusual_ effects on those who are exposed to them. They are similar to some of the ingredients in mother's potions. It was unwise to spend such a lengthy amount of time in their presence. We are fortunate we are...undamaged."

"Undamaged, right. Lucky us." Yozak was watching the other man's expressions or lack thereof carefully.

"There is no need to speak of this particular journey. It would only cause others to worry needlessly."

"We wouldn't want that."

"Clearly."

"Your Excellency?"

"...Yes, Yozak?"

"You're fun to travel with."


End file.
